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Guidance

Introduce or keep non-native fish, lobsters and crayfish

Apply for a licence to introduce, keep or farm non-native fish, lobsters and crayfish.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and Environment Agency
Published:
16 May 2014
Last updated:
23 April 2026
Show all updates

  1. Page updated to clarify what licences and permissions are needed when, and links added to the new digital form 'Apply for a licence to keep non-native fish or crayfish', which replaces the old ILFA1 and CRAY2 PDF forms.

  2. Updated contact email address.

  3. Updated ILFA. Aquarium Ornamentals. Alphabetic checklist for BIPs V6 06.04.2023

  4. Page updated with current legislation links.

  5. Removed out of date fax number.

  6. Significant updates to include Wales - Natural Resource Wales links.

  7. Added a link for the CRAY2 application form

  8. Update the requirement to contact Natural England for a licence for non native crayfish.

  9. ILFA, Aquarium, Ornamentals, Alphabetic checklist has been reviewed and updated.

  10. The new version of the ILFA list has been updated.

  11. Added link to permit application for moving or using species covered by the EU regulation 1143/2014 on invasive alien species.

  12. Added information about the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation.

  13. Updated list of freshwater fish that can be kept for ornamental, scientific research or conservation purposes

  14. Update to reflect new legislation

  15. Amended permitted species list to add several genera, and to take account of recent nomenclature changes. No species have been removed.

  16. First published.

Applies to England and Wales

It’s an offence to introduce and keep controlled non-native fish, lobsters and crayfish without a licence.

If you introduce and keep non-native fish, lobsters and crayfish without a licence you could get a fine and a criminal record.

You may need more than one licence, permit or permission before you can introduce and keep non-native fish or crayfish. All licences and permits are free.

When you need a licence

You need a licence to:

  • introduce and keep non-native fish, crayfish and lobsters
  • farm (aquaculture) non-native species, or those not found locally

Licence to introduce and keep non-native freshwater fish (ILFA licence)

You must apply for a licence from the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) if you want to keep non-native freshwater fish for:

  • public display
  • scientific research
  • human consumption
  • conservation
  • authorised finish dealing

You need a different licence if you want to keep non-native freshwater fish for farming (aquaculture).

When you do not need an ILFA licence

You do not need a licence to keep:

  • common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
  • goldfish (Carassius auratus)
  • ide or orfe (Leuciscus idus)
  • rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, other than anadromous steelhead)

You do not need a licence to keep grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) or sturgeon (Acipenser and Huso) in:

  • ornamental wholesale and retail premises
  • indoor aquariums
  • garden ponds (discrete bodies of water, no bigger than an acre, on private residential premises with no risk of fish escaping into the wild)

You do not need a licence to keep certain species in an indoor aquarium or if kept for ornamental, scientific research or conservation purposes (including trade, zoos and public aquariums). See the list of Freshwater fish that can be kept for ornamental, scientific research or conservation purposes (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 58.6 KB).

Licence to introduce and keep non-native crayfish

You must get a permit or licence from Natural England or Natural Resources Wales if you plan to introduce, hold, keep or sell any of the following crayfish species covered by the requirements of the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation:

  • signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)
  • spiny cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus)
  • red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
  • virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis)
  • marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax f. virginalis (Procambarus virginalis))

Other crayfish species

If you want to introduce and keep any other species of crayfish, you must apply for a licence from the FHI.

When you do not need a crayfish licence

You do not need a licence to keep:

  • native or white clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes), although you do need a wildlife licence if you plan to disturb white-clawed crayfish or their habitat
  • red-clawed crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) in indoor aquaria for ornamental use

Trapping crayfish in the wild

You need permission to trap crayfish in the wild:

Authorisation to farm non-native fish and crayfish

You must apply for authorisation from the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) to farm (aquaculture) non-native fish or crayfish, or those not found locally, as required by the Alien Species Regulations (ASR).

Licence to introduce and keep non-native lobsters

You need to apply for a lobster deposit licence to introduce and keep the following types of lobster within one mile of tidal waters:

  • American or Canadian lobster (Homarus americanus)
  • European lobster (Homarus gammarus) (when kept with American or Canadian lobsters)

This is required by the Lobsters (Control of Importation) Order 1981.

Import live fish or shellfish

You need permission from the FHI to import live fish and shellfish.

Contact

Fish Health Inspectorate

Email: fhi@cefas.gov.uk

Telephone: 01305 206 700

Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Environment Agency

Email: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone: 0370 850 6506

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Natural England

Email:enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone: 0300 060 3900

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm

Find out about call charges

Natural Resources Wales

Email:enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 065 3000

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Find out about call charges

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